Page 366 - PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

Pride and Prejudice

which so many of your acquaintances are connected.
Wickham passed all his youth there, you know.’
Elizabeth was distressed. She felt that she had no
business at Pemberley, and was obliged to assume a

disinclination for seeing it. She must own that she was
tired of seeing great houses; after going over so many, she
really had no pleasure in fine carpets or satin curtains.
Mrs. Gardiner abused her stupidity. ‘If it were merely a
fine house richly furnished,’ said she, ‘I should not care
about it myself; but the grounds are delightful. They have
some of the finest woods in the country.’
Elizabeth said no more—but her mind could not
acquiesce. The possibility of meeting Mr. Darcy, while
viewing the place, instantly occurred. It would be
dreadful! She blushed at the very idea, and thought it
would be better to speak openly to her aunt than to run
such a risk. But against this there were objections; and she
finally resolved that it could be the last resource, if her
private inquiries to the absence of the family were
unfavourably answered.
Accordingly, when she retired at night, she asked the
chambermaid whether Pemberley were not a very fine
place? what was the name of its proprietor? and, with no
little alarm, whether the family were down for the

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